The ten most influential mainstream girl groups

There have been countless girl groups throughout history, but only a select few have had as undeniable an impact on mainstream rock and pop as these ladies. Breaking gender barriers, they influenced countless other groups that followed and inspired a legion of young women across the globe. Keep reading for the ten most influential girl groups of all time.

10. The Go-Go's
The Go-Go's came from the punk/new-wave explosion of the early '80s and quickly took the music scene by storm with their bright, energetic new-wave pop sound. Not only were they one of the most commercially successful girl groups of the '80s, but they played their own instruments and wrote their own songs. A complete package, they continued to show the world that girls could rock just as hard as boys.

9. The Donnas
These ladies were hard, fast and loud, and were often called the female version of the Ramones. Much like that band, the Donnas wrote songs that relied on three chords and pretty much all sounded the same. Emerging in the early to mid-'90s, the Donnas had a throwback sound rooted in the '70s and '80s.

8.Heart
While Heart was not an all-female group, this sister act made it abundantly clear that women could rock and inspired countless members of the fairer sex. Ann and Nancy Wilson took over the '70s with their hits "Crazy on You," "Magic Man," "Barracuda" and "Straight On." Not only did the Wilson sisters lead the band, but they also wrote the songs and played the hell out of their instruments.

7. The Bangles
The Bangles could be considered one of the first all-female garage bands. Playing their own instruments, these ladies took on the '80s and taught everyone how to walk like an Egyptian. Their unique style of vocal arrangements is what set the Bangles apart from other girl groups of the time, such as the Go-Go's and Bananarama.

6. Sister Sledge
Strong, powerful, talented and actually sisters, Sister Sledge was the most important girl group on the disco scene. The siblings' funky fresh beats entertained the masses and carried a message of female strength and power.

5. Destiny's Child
If nothing else, Destiny's Child was an important girl group because it introduced the world to Beyoncé, but there is much more to the story. The girls' well-arranged harmonies gave life to their strong, empowering lyrics. Musically, the group was just as solid, and it ended up being one of the most successful R&B girl groups of all time, selling over 17 million albums worldwide.

4. TLC
Walking down the road paved by Salt-N-Pepa, TLC took the stage in the '90s and became one of the best-selling girl trios. Blending tones of soul, hip-hop and even R&B, T-Boz, Left Eye and Chilli Thomas created a unique sound that inspired a changing generation and also put the group on top.

3. Spice Girls
Hate all you want, but these ladies led the second British invasion when they knocked America on its musical ass in 1996. The Spice Girls sold over 80 million records, making them one of the highest-selling groups of all time. Not only were they a force to be reckoned with in the United States, but after their first hit single, "Wannabe" -- which hit number one in thirty countries -- the Spice Girls became a global phenomenon.

2. Salt-N-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa broke the glass ceiling and pulled females into hip-hop, paving the way not just for other hip-hop girl groups, but also for solo artists like Missy Elliott and Queen Latifah. These ladies were as legit as they come, spitting lyrics that not only carried a message, but were also pretty damn witty, to boot. If this group had never happened, there would be a serious hole in music. Salt-N-Pepa's style, spirit and strength made them great.

1. The Supremes
The Supremes laid the groundwork for what it means to be a girl group. The group's tight harmonies and well-choreographed act helped it dominate the charts. After the group's success, numerous female groups began to pop up, all of them following the blueprint drafted by the Supremes.